All About Annick Goutal Perfume

Annick Goutal was begun in 1980 by a woman of the same name, when she opened a small boutique in Rue de Bellechasse, Paris in order to avoid an apparently inevitable musical career. Her business grew, as customers began to love her fragrances and spread the word of her boutique.

Annick Goutal was a woman truly fascinated with all things beautiful I am sure, somebody who wished to (rather than create something new and revolutionary in a progressive sense), create something new and revolutionary, simply by re-visiting perfume traditions of the deep past. Goutal fragrances were always viewed as different, more refined, and Annick Goutal's business steadily grew.

It was however, an adjoinment with the Tattinger Champagne group which enabled Goutal to really spread the name of her brand outside of France.

The brand was a great success with American, European and Asian markets, furthermore, it was ranked No. 1 of certain stores such as Neiman Markus and Saks, with it's favourite perfume having always been "Eau d'Hadrien". [Think differently? Vote Below!]

Annick passed away in 1999, aged 53, and the business was then entrusted to her daughter, Camille, who has passionately taken on the Goutal company and maintained her mother's standards. Earlier this year Annick Goutal opened their first British Boutique on Motcombe Street in Knightsbridge, London.

Starwood Capital Group have become the proprieters of Annick Goutal since 2005.

Camille Goutal

Described as the perfect prototype of the 'francaise', and speaking with a charming french accent, Annick Goutal's daughter Camille is now a proprieter of the Annick Goutal brand. She is thought of as "a beautiful and elegant lady in a little black dress and ballerina flats", and has created even more fragrances since the death of her mother. In October 2008, she greatly aided the Goutal name by appearing in Harrods, London, and giving private perfume consultation sessions.

Isabelle Doyen

At the age of 4, Isabelle Doyen became confused at 'how a pear could smell of rose, and a rose smell of pear'. This was the keystone for her life as a perfumer. She worked for many years alongside Annick Goutal, and co-created many of the best known brands, such as Eau de Sud and Le Nuits d'Hadrien.

She now works alongside Camille Goutal, and continues the legacy which is the perfume of Annick Goutal.

Annick Goutal in London

Annick Goutal have recently opened two boutiques in London - one can be found at 20 Motcombe street in Knightsbridge,

This is information that Annick Goutal release about their perfumes: and from what I have heard so far, they are all honest descriptions. It is unfortunate that I have not yet been lucky enough to sample every Goutal fragrance, therefore I feel that using these original descriptions is a good idea.

Les Nuits d'Hadrien - Citrusy, Oriental, with amber

"Les Nuits d'Hadrien tells the story of an enchanting Italian interlude. Inspired by a night time stroll under a starry Mediterranean sky, another interpretaion of a Tuscan garden by night. If you have ever loved a warm evening in Italy you will love the memories created from the Sicilian lemon, hints of basil, deep white musk and amber-spiced notes in this enchanting fragrance. "

Eau du Sud - Citrusy

"Green Eau du Sud is an invigorating symphony of citrus accords. Slightly peppery, luscious, woody notes melt and combine with Mandarin orange, bergamot, verbena, mint and basil - making it one of Annick Goutal's most coveted fragrances. Annick Goutal created this as a reminder of her journeys in the South of France and Tuscany. If you have ever travelled to these beautiful parts of Europe, Eau du Sud will conjure up the warmth of the sun and those long evenings .... "

Eau d'Hadrien - Citrusy, Fresh

"This was the first of Annick Goutal's creations to capture the attention of the celebrities and trend setters and has remained a best selling firm favourite ever since! Eau d'Hadrien is a timeless and elegantly refined, citrus fragrance in which Sicilian lemons and grapefruits, blend harmoniously with subtle notes of cypress. "

Le Muguet Limited Edition

"A single flower limited edition fragrance. Based on Lily of The Valley with a hint of rose to add to the sweet scent of the fragrance. Lily of The Valley is often given as a symbol of good luck and happiness, Annick Goutal celebrates this French tradition with this elegant floral fragrance. "

Petit Chérie - Fruity, Floral, Musky

"Petite Cherie is a fruity-floral fragrance in which vanilla, peach, musk rose and fresh grass recall moments of purity and boldness. Annick Goutal created this fragrance for her daughter as a young girl that she always name "Petit Chérie". 'Little darling' both stirs the senses and moves the heart. Celebrate with this stunning Limited Edition collection, still the sparkling fragrance that you love but in a beautiful new limited presentation."

Mandragore - Citrusy and Aromatic

"A bewitching and mysterious fragrance, where the feminine and masculine merge together in secret harmony. Bergamot with black pepper and spearmint give way to a dizzying host of sensual delights, Mandrake is included to add mystery..."

Songes - Floral, Oriental

"Songes - a sensual daydream of tropical islands, the fragrant frangipani flower, sun and sea. A beautiful soft fragrance with Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Vanilla and sandalwood that takes you to a place in the sun whatever the time of year or wherever you are.

Camille Goutal was walking in an exotic garden on the island of Mauritius at night fall, she could not resist the desire to create a perfume to immortalize the scent of all the exotic and secret white flowers."

Grand Amour - Floral

"A perfume of rare subtlety that speaks of 'great love'. Grand Amour is an intriguing and captivating scent, revealing a perfect balance of carnal flowers (lily, hyacinth, honeysuckle) together with notes of amber, musk and myrtle.

Annick Goutal dedicated Grand Amour to her husband who offered her a bouquet of white flowers every week... Worth a try!"

Rose Absolue - Floral

Love Roses!... Love Rose Absolue.

"Rose Absolue is a single-flower fragrance that brings together the rarest of roses from East and West; The Bulgarian, Turkish, Damask, May, Egyptian and Moroccan rose.

"Roses symbolize beauty, eternal femininity. I wanted to dedicate a fragrance to them" Annick Goutal."

Passion - Floral

"Annick Goutal always believed love is everything, it is eternal, Passion tells her story. Passion overflows with tuberose combined with jasmine. Vanilla adds warmth to this sensual, captivating scent, for the woman that lives her life in love.

Quite simply, Passion is the fragrance of love."

Gardénia Passion - Floral

"The work of a true artist, Gardénia Passion is a natural and faithful reconstitution of this untamed flower. After a journey to Japan, at a time when the gardenias were in blossom, Annick Goutal sought to recreate the scent of this untamed flower.

Seductive, blossoming gardenias blend with the freshness of a fragrant garden after a spring shower."

Vanille Exquise - Floral

"A vanilla that is evocative of temptation nestling between the fantasy of far-flung islands and the memory of Cleopatra's vanilla almond milk baths. "

Ce Soir ou Jamais - Floral

"As tender and irresistible as an infinitely secret whisper, Ce Soir ou Jamais is a subtle, fresh blend of Turkish rose with precious plant leaves and flowers. 'tonight or never'; an open invitation to love."

Quel Amour! - Fruity, Floral

"A beautiful bouquet, reminiscent of the perfect spring day and of new love between a man and a woman. Quel Amour combines the discreet scent of peonies, wild roses and geranium rosa with red currants, cherries and peaches."

Eau du Ciel - Floral, Fresh

"The scent for a summers day - "nature, bees and summer".

A pure melody of tender scents - Brazilian rosewood, violet, iris and lime blossom - Eau du Ciel is a subtle interpretation of innocence; a gentle fragrance as delicate as the touch of an angel's wing..."

Eau de Charlotte - Fruity, Floral

"Created for the mischievous, romantic woman who adores the combination of fruit and flowers in her fragrance. Close your eyes and imagine a bold blackcurrant bud combined with the roundness of mimosa, accentuated with cocoa.

Named after a child who quite simply loved blackcurrant jam!"

Heure Exquise - Floral, Powdery

"A sophisticated trail of Turkish rose on a gentle powdery base of iris from Florence and mysore sandalwood. Heure Exquise captures the spirit of a rose garden that blossoms with the passing of each exquisite hour."

Le Chèvrefeuille

"Camille Goutal recreates a tender and carefree ambience with a fresh, green and crisp fragrance touched with smooth sensuality by sweet honeysuckle blossom. Le Chevrefeuille - the fragrance of happy memories."

Bon Point

"A fresh and subtle dew, both discreet and refined, in celebration of the love of mothers for their children and the love they receive in return. Available in pink or blue. "

Not as many masculine perfumes are in production as feminine, but Annick Goutal's fragrances exemplify only the highest stardards by terms of fragrances and perfumes for men, my personal favourite being "Duel".

Duel - fresh and woody.

"Duel, the fragrance for men who live life boldly, would love to go back in time and fight a duel at dawn. The subtle leather note recalls the swords' sheath and the thrown glove, which once upon a time were used as a provocation in duel... for a question of honour, or love.."

Eau de Sud - citrusy and green

"Created from memories of journeys in the South of France and Tuscany ... the warmth of the sun and those long evenings when the light of the day seemed to last forever!"

Eau d'Hadrien - Citrusy and Fresh

"The zesty freshness of lemons from Sicily and grapefruit blend with the refined notes of citron and cypress in this sparkling Eau de Toilette that is both dynamic and timeless. Created to express the emotions evoked by the character of the Emperor Hadrien."

Les Nuits d'Hadrien - Citrusy, Oriental with Amber

"All the beautiful and memorable scents of a Mediterranean evening are combined to form this fresh, sensual, deep white musk and amber-spiced fragrance. An Italian interlude, bathed in darkness. Inspired by a night time stroll under a starry Mediterranean sky."